New Horizons
by Kaerato
Summary: A quick shopping trip with a happy outcome.


As the early sunrays iluminated the small apartament in the Z city, the young hero came out of his bathroom. After putting on his shoes he turned to the door bidding goodbye to his over-eager, cyborg student.

"Ok, Genos. I'm off."

"Huh? Is There some kind of new monster?" Startled, Genos stood up from the floor.

"Nah, I'm just going shopping."

"So early in the morning? It's unlike you sensei."

"Yeah, I thought that not many people go shopping in the morning, so there won't be much crowd."

With a gleam in his metal eyes Genos strucks his fist to open palm and exclaims:

"Ah! That's really thoughtful sensei. Even for everyday trifles you have a tactic!"

"..whatever, see ya."

...

Saitama almost finishes his shopping. His basket is full of cheap fish and vegetables. He is looking around the shelves for some good, yet cheap tea. Strolling forwars, with his eyes glued to a package he doesn't notice a shopping trolley in front of him and bumps into it.

"Ah, excuse me!"

He rises his eyes and sees a man in glasses with scruffy brown hair pushing a shopping trolley filled to the brim with various products. The man, dressed in sweat suit, replies:

"Oh, it's not a big deal, Saitama."

As the caped baldy heard his name, he scratches his perfectly round head and thinks:

"Huh? Do I know this guy?"

With all his egginess he looks at the dude apparently lost in thought. The man smiles and says:

"I guess you didn't recognise me without my hero attire. I'm Mumen Rider."

Saitama still looks pensive and says to himself:

"Huh, I guess I didn't recognise him without his hero attire. I think it's Mumen Rider."

The glassed man looks a bit baffled and says:

"I didn't know you were an early bird, Saitama. I, myself, usually train in the morning but today was extra sale and I just couldn't miss it"

Hearing these words our hero smiles a bit noticing a probable soulmate. Licenceless Rider goes on:

"Anyway, congratulations on your promotion! You truly deserved it. The way you moved, the speed, the power! The bad guys never stand a chance when fighting with you!"

Saitama looks a little bashful adn tries to shake off the shower of compliments.

"Ah, thanks. I guess I got lucky. Good thing you guys beat him up earlier, though!"

He chuckles awkwardly and Mumen Rider simply nods respectfully. As Saitama tries to get out of this topic he notices fresh calamari inside the trolley.

"Oh, good choice! These are the best to keep you healthy and in good shape."

"Yeah, after the battle with the Sea King it took me long time to heal my wounds and get back to my previous shape. But I've been thinking that it's not enough."

"Huh?"

Saitama stops reading the mall's brochure and looks at Licenceless Rider with concern. The man continued:

"After seeing you practically destroy the Sea King while being modest and falsely telling everybody it wasn't all your doing, I got inspired. I wish i could be at least a bit like you, both in strength and modesty."

"Well, you're not that bad yourself!"

Saitama tries to cheer him up knowing that he will not succeed. Then, a moment of silence falls between the two men and only distant murmur of shoppers can be heard.

"Genos is really lucky to be your disciple" Mumen Rider whispers. Saitama sighs and replies:

"I don't see anything good about it. I'm not the best teacher. I din't do anything that is even close to teaching. To be honest, I think I've got one disciple too many."

He looks to the side with rather sulky face, but after a moment his visage relaxes, he looks back at his colleague and adds:

"But I guess one more would not do much difference..." Then he thinks to himself:

"Mabye MR wouldn't be as overdiligent as Genos is."

To his mind comes up an image of Genos taking notes of him sitting. Coming back to his soon-to-be student he smiles and says

"So, would you like to join us?"

MR, hearing these words, smiles wholeheartedly, but before he manages to say anything Saitama keeps on talking

"..though I don't think I have anymore place at my apartment but we'll think of something."

Mumen Rider, shining with joy and excitement exclaims:

"It's perfectly fine. For now i'll be just coming by for lessons. It's more than enough for me!"

Both men stand for a moment cherishing this bonding minute. Then Saitama breaks the eye contact saying:

"Well, I'm off! We'll see eachother soon enough, but for now, take care!"

He turns and waves his hand heading torward checkout. In the queue his mind wanders off torwards new manga he recently been reading, then he reminds himself off his new student.  
Saitama gumbles over the new set of responsibilites and he has no idea how to deal with them. He doesn't know what to do with his first disciple and often just talks bullshit instead of real lessons. He's just not cut out for being a sensei. Long after leaving the supermarket he kept imagining how he would conduct his future lessons. Then, just as sun struck his shiny pale scalp he raised his face and, with a wide smile, came to the conclusion that this dangerous world they're living in needs such an honest and determined hero like Mumen Rider. As he was returning home, he kept envisioning a better future with his new disciple.


End file.
